Archive for the Uncategorized Category

Maryville-based private occupational school Peak Technical Institute is pleased to announce the roll out of its newest hospitality and professional service courses Housekeeping Training and Food & Beverage Service starting in early 2017, preparing individuals for an exciting, rewarding career in a robust industry.

“Individuals can come here and change their careers and lives in just a matter of weeks in our hospitality programs,” Peak Technical Institute President and CEO Dr. Eric W. Barton said. “Imagine the impact we can make in Knoxville, Tennessee and the nation.”

Peak’s Housekeeping Training Program hones roles and responsibilities of a housekeeper/room attendant, reflecting high standards of work, customer service, personal hygiene/attributes, cleaning methods, rooms, housekeeping services, laundry, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and many more relevant topics. The Food & Beverage Service program prepares students in food and beverage service, hygienic food and beverage, resume writing 101, customer service and basic knowledge on understanding risks and preventative measures at work.

Both the Housekeeping and Food & Beverage Service programs are approved through the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Program Director and Instructor Jason King said the two newest hospitality courses under the Peak brand are “revolutionary” for the region’s industry.

“These types of trainings are new and revolutionary for the hospitality industry, offering students a well-rounded education for whenever they start their new careers,” King said. “Students in our Food & Beverage, housekeeping or hospitality programs will graduate better prepared for the industry and will be one step ahead of their competition, increasing their potential for future success in this robust industry.”

GKHA, a nonprofit membership organization for hotels/lodging, restaurants, venues, attractions, services and suppliers of hospitality and tourism sectors, encompasses more than 9,000 lodging and hotel rooms within the Knoxville region of Knox, Anderson, Blount, Roane and Loudon counties.

“The hospitality industry is the No. 2 industry in the state of Tennessee,” GKHA Executive Director Jill Thompson said. “With 225 hotels in just the Knoxville area alone, this new program will not only be pivotal for individuals looking for a new career with vast opportunities but will also be beneficial for our local economies.”

For more information or to sign up, visit YouHaveArrived.com or contact Peak at 855-399-7325.

Posted on October 1, 2016 with Comments Off on LexLin Gives Back – Part 3 of 3: Understanding The Dream

LexLin Gives Back is a three-part blog series that tells the story of LexLin’s Gypsy Gift donation campaign through the eyes of the children of LexLin Gypsy Ranch owners Eric and Mechelle Barton. Cody King, the eldest of two girls and three boys, writes the third and final installment in the blog series. Cody writes on how Eric, Mechelle and the LexLin family has inspired him to want to change the lives of others. From all of us at LexLin Gypsy Ranch, we hope that you have enjoyed this unique perspective from LexLin’s next generation.

Cody is the eldest of Eric and Mechelle Barton’s two girls and three boys.

My name is Cody and I am 22 years old, which makes me the oldest of the five children. Throughout my life, I have had the opportunity to spend time with my parents while the younger kids were able to play. At times, I enjoyed the quality time. On the other hand, I had to do “adult” work, but now I would never trade listening to my parents’ dreams and ambitions for LexLin.

As I listen to the people that now have these incredible horses, read testimonials on the programs that they are in, and mostly see the change that is happening around me every day because of Gypsy Gift, I pause in my life. I am impacted! My life changes because I can reflect on how blessed I am to have a family that instills giving back. I am not personally injured. I am not a veteran. I am not sick or disabled BUT being a part of this and seeing the growth of Gypsy Gift reminds me to thank those who are heroes and fight for our country as they are all around us every day. This program instills passion and allows me to see without judgment, as we never know when our own life could change in an instant, what our families and communities may face throughout life, or what our future children and neighbors will experience in the future. To see life through a different lens is sometimes hard but very necessary at times. This is what seeing this project means to me.

As I reflect back on LexLin throughout the years and read my sisters’ blogs, I thinking about Debra Rogers’ testimonial on her experience with Stormy.

From left, Lexi, Eric and Cody pose for a photo at a Gypsy Vanner horse ranch in Wales in 2010.

“I have seen and interacted with one of their Gypsy horses. The horse I refer to is Stormy with Equest Hooves For Heroes (H4H). I just have never seen a more calm, friendly horse in all my life! Not only does Stormy possess strength, great build, and great color, he has an excellent disposition. I’m thankful to LexLin for this donation and can testify that if all their horses are like Stormy – then all their horses are awesome!”

Disposition.

It really hit home when I read that word. All of the horses at LexLin may not have the same personality or end up walking a similar journey, but they cultivate a unique and powerful disposition through their home base at LexLin Gypsy Ranch. They are able to reach a greater potential than ever imagined.

A young Cody learns how to ride a horse.

It is more than just a horse. It is these horses’ journey through the hearts and hands at LexLin that love and care for these lively creatures that enables them to have a giving heart to the people and places that they come in contact with through Gypsy Gift.

Even though we call it “Gypsy Gift,” as we visualize these horses gifted to PATH International Premier Accredited centers, we forget about the relationship and journey that continues to grow and develop mutually between the centers and the horses. The caring individuals at LexLin are making a difference in the centers by providing a well-trained and beautiful Gypsy Vanner but more importantly a horse that has a heart bigger than imaginable that is able to love the people that he or she meets. The programs that these Gypsy Vanners are becoming a part of are making a difference, and the opportunity to see Gypsy Vanners from LexLin take part in being one piece of the puzzle is truly inspiring.

Cody and Eric Barton pose for a photo during an Honoring Our Heroes event for law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs in 2015. The event was hosted by sister companies Vanquish Worldwide, LexLin Gypsy Ranch, Peak Technical Institute and Front Range Training and Consulting.

LexLin is continually pushing forward and living out the motto, “Living The Dream.” A dream is exactly how this started in the first place, and the dreams of my family and the people that we call family on the ranch are always ready to listen to new ideas and opportunities. My parents are “go-getters” in the work place, and I am excited to see what is to come in the rest of 2016. If you know either of them, then you know 2016 is not over until the ball drops. LexLin hopes to donate 10 more horses in this year alone, and I cannot wait to see where these horses will go and the changes that will be made.

It is exciting to see the many opportunities that have risen from LexLin’s events new and old such as Honoring our Heroes, LexLin’s horse auction benefitting Smoky Mountain Service Dogs, our open houses, and donating part of individual sales to local charities in the community.

Dances With Horses was an event that LexLin took part in this year. I was able to spend time with friends and family, learn more about local businesses and impacts horses make, watch my mom perform a dance routine in the entertainment part of the night’s fundraiser, and mostly see LexLin help another incredible program Horse Haven.

Ben, from left, Cody and Lindie, three of Eric and Mechelle Barton’s children, pose for a photo at LexLin Gypsy Ranch.

LexLin went beyond its three-year goal of donating 10 horses a year and now has donated 45 horses over the past three years. The LexLin motto “Living The Dream” is not about my dream, my parents’ personal dreams or business dreams, my siblings’ dreams, or the dreams of the programs and charities that we collaborate with throughout the years. It is a LIVING dream that continues every day and does not belong to one individual. It is the collective life dreams of everyone coming together and breaking through what one could create on his or her own.

Give back. YOU can help someone and maybe that person will do the same for another just as these Gypsy Vanners dedicate their life purpose to helping others.

Whether you want to attend a LexLin open house, help or donate at a LexLin charity event, simply share a charity contest on social media, or take part in something in your own community – remember to live the dream. Share your unique ideas and dreams with others around you. You never know the imprint that you may leave on somebody or the impact something may have that could positively change your life.

Cody

The Barton family, along with their companies LexLin Gypsy Ranch and Vanquish Worldwide make a donation to Smoky Mountain Service Dogs during a 2014 SMSD Benefit Auction at LexLin.

LexLin Gives Back is a three-part blog series that tells the story of LexLin’s Gypsy Gift donation campaign through the eyes of the children of LexLin Gypsy Ranch owners Eric and Mechelle Barton. Lexi Barton, the eldest daughter of two girls and three boys, writes the following blog. In this second blog, Lexi shares her perspective on how LexLin has seen an outpouring of support for LexLin’s Gypsy Gift program over the years and how countless lives have been impacted across the country. The three-part blog series will conclude with a final blog written by Cody, which will be published Oct. 1st. From all of us at LexLin Gypsy Ranch, we hope that you enjoy this unique perspective from LexLin’s next generation.

Lexi Barton, the eldest daughter of two girls and three boys, shares her perspective on how LexLin has seen an outpouring of support for LexLin’s Gypsy Gift program.

Since we have begun this “Give Back” journey, we have seen our LexLin following grow exponentially. Being a part of this experience that provides services for others has been an incredible journey. Providing people in need with an opportunity to impact and enrich the lives of the developmentally disabled, sick, injured, troubled and developing lives on a daily basis by receiving one of LexLin Gypsy Vanner horses is an honor. Gypsy Horses are gentle loving animals and we at LexLin do believe our horses are fit for this type of work. I believe that LexLin has given me the surest way to find happiness in my own life, which is to help others find happiness in theirs, whether that be across the U.S. or around the world.

Lexi pictured at the Smoky Mountain Service Dogs Auction, where LexLin donated proceeds from the day’s horse auction to the nonprofit program, which helps disabled veterans by pairing them with service dogs.

For me, I have been in awe over the years witnessing all of the positive feedback on LexLin’s Facebook and other social media accounts. I love to read the testimonials and positive feedback these horses have been making in people’s lives. LexLin has donated 45 horses within the past three years with plans to donate many more to PATH International Premier Accredited therapy centers. These have an impact on 169,000 lives on average per year or 3.4 million lives, not including their families, loved ones and friends, over the next two decades. Here is some feedback we have gotten over the years that have really touched my heart.

“I have experienced first-hand what a difference a good horse can make to a therapy program!” Ginger Krause said. “It is just incredible that 10 of these gorgeous and kind horses will go to such deserving centers from the generosity of the LexLin Gypsy Ranch!”

Lexi, far right, and her younger sister Lindie pictured during a Veteran’s Day parade.

And another:

“I have seen and interacted with one of their Gypsy horses. The horse I refer to is Stormy with Equest Hooves For Heroes (H4H). I just have never seen a more calm, friendly horse in all my life! Not only does Stormy possess strength, great build, and great color, he has an excellent disposition,” Debra Rogers said. “I’m thankful to LexLin for this donation and can testify that if all their horses are like Stormy – then all their horses are awesome!”

Through Gypsy Gift, the community plays a pivotal role on which PATH center will receive a Gypsy Vanner horse. How the voting process works is based on fan favorites. When in the running, the community will vote for a fan favorite by “liking” and sharing through Facebook to spread the word. After the centers have been selected, the top nominated and one client selected by Lexlin staff will be able to enter the Lexlin Gypsy Gift program.

This year’s Gypsy Gift campaign received overwhelming support with 33 therapy centers receiving a combined 171,675 votes in less than two months of voting. Several of the winning centers received more than 1,000 votes in one day towards the end of the voting phase, and the winning centers from No. 3 through No. 11 varied fan favorite placement day to day. The 11th place center received 13,000 votes and was only 161 votes behind the 10th place center.

A teenaged Lexi shows affection to the Gypsy Vanners at the LexLin Ranch in Rockwood, TN.

While our family has seen an overwhelmingly positive response to our Gypsy Gift initiative, it has been even more powerful for me and my family to witness the positive impact LexLin’s Gypsy Vanner horses are making in countless lives each week. According to feedback we’ve gotten from some of these therapy centers, each of the horses regularly impact 50-100 lives on a weekly basis. And as you can see in the graphic included in this blog, these horses and therapy centers are spread across the United States.

“We were really excited about receiving the horse,” Emily Gardner, with one of the therapeutic centers receiving a Gypsy Vanner said. “It will add additional spots to our schedule that we couldn’t have done before.”

Giving to PATH-accredited centers was the perfect fit and exposed the Gypsy Vanners to an even greater potential of positively influencing as many lives as possible. PATH International, dedicated to promoting safe and effective therapeutic horseback riding throughout the U.S. and Canada, has more than 850 member centers and nearly 7,600 individual members in countries all over the world today who help and support more than 54,000 men, women and children with special needs each year through a variety of equine-assisted activities and therapy programs.

LexLin only picks the very best purebred Gypsy Vanners, which are DNA verified Gypsy horses registered with the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, providing the horses with only the best care and professional training.

“Gypsies are wonderfully suited for therapeutic purposes with their build, temperament, size and love for people,” LexLin President and CEO Dr. Eric W. Barton said. “We want to enable people in need around the U.S. to have access to these extremely tractable horses as it’s amazing to witness what these horses can do for improving health, skills and overall improved healing and quality of life for many people. PATH-accredited centers are giving back to people on a daily basis and we strongly believe in their programs and want to give back to communities around the U.S. in this special way.”

LexLin Gives Back is a three-part blog series that tells the story of LexLin’s Gypsy Gift donation campaign through the eyes of the children of LexLin Gypsy Ranch owners Eric and Mechelle Barton. The following blog is written by Lindie Barton, the middle child of two girls and three boys. In this first blog, Lindie shares her perspective on the impact LexLin’s Gypsy Gift program has made on countless lives across the country. The second blog will be written by Lexi and will be published on our website Sept. 1st, and the three-part blog series will conclude with a final blog written by Cody, which will be published Oct. 1st.From all of us at LexLin Gypsy Ranch, we hope that you enjoy this unique perspective from LexLin’s next generation.

A 10-year-old Lindie Barton poses for a photo with LexLin’s Lindie’s Promise in 2010.

My name is Lindie Barton, the 16-year-old daughter of LexLin Gypsy Ranch owners Eric and Mechelle Barton. Over the last six years, the most formative years of my young adult life, I believe – I have witnessed my parents’ ever-growing desire to do something big for society. One of their biggest charitable missions eventually became LexLin’s beloved Gypsy Gift program. This emotionally-riddled, yet awe-inspiring program has taught me some very important lessons in life. One in particular that has stuck with me over the years is that helping others is a priceless, precious gift.

This blog, LexLin Gives Back, begins a three-part series on the evolution of the LexLin Gypsy Gift program, why LexLin gives back, its charitable mission and the positive response we have seen from this wonderful program and how the horses have positively changed lives. I hope that you enjoy my take on the LexLin Gypsy Gift program.

Lexi and Lindie playing at the LexLin Ranch in Rockwood, TN.

My Mom and Dad created Rockwood, TN-based LexLin Gypsy Ranch in 2009 as a family business with the motto of “living the dream.” The ranch was named after my sister Lexi and I; and ultimately for LexLin and its owners, living the dream means giving back to the community. LexLin has donated 45 horses within the past 3 years: 6 being donated in 2013, 17 in 2014, 10 in 2015 and 11 more in 2016. Their goal was to donate at least 30 horses by the end of a three-year period from 2014-2016. Our family has exceeded that goal by putting tons of time and dedication into LexLin and its multiple charitable programs such as LexLin Gives Back – Honoring Our Heroes Event, Honoring Our Heroes’ successor LexLin Gypsy Gift Program and donations to veteran-based Smoky Mountain Service Dogs and other nonprofit organizations.

The LexLin Gives Back – Honoring Our Heroes Event was LexLin’s first charitable program dedicated to giving back to its community. It was a great program based on giving back to our veterans by donating a Gypsy Vanner to a veteran who has served at least 1 year in Iraq or Afghanistan. In 2011, LexLin held its first annual LexLin Gives Back – Honoring Our Heroes Contest. The winner of this contest was Chris Kelly, a veteran of California who won LexLin’s Braveheart. In 2012, LexLin held its second annual contest, which was won by firefighter Jason Warrenfeltz, who won LexLin’s Swade. The third and last annual contest for LexLin Gives Back – Honoring Our Heroes Event was held in 2013 and for the first time, fans and customers of LexLin chose the horse and its recipient. The horse donated for that final year was Stormy, a black and white tobiano Gypsy Vanner who won the hearts of many and was selected for the program. During the voting stages, two applicants quickly rose to the forefront of the voting phase. One applicant was an outstanding individual whose support was well organized by a family member and the other was the Equest Hooves for Heroes program in Texas. My parents quickly realized that the customers and fans of LexLin know best who could really use a Gypsy Vanner horse for therapeutic purposes. LexLin’s Gypsy Gift program was born.

Lexi and Lindie Barton goof off during the 2014 horse auction to benefit Smoky Mountain Service Dogs.

From Honoring Our Heroes came LexLin’s Gypsy Gift Program, which is a program to raise, train and donate LexLin Gypsy Horses for future careers in Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) for nonprofit centers accredited through PATH International. Through these PATH International Premier Accredited therapy centers, LexLin’s Gypsy Vanners work with military veterans and law enforcement suffering from PTSD, amputees, at-risk youth, autistic children, disabled adults, abused women and even families suffering the loss of a young child.

“If one horse on average reaches 56 people on a weekly basis that gives 45 LexLin Gypsy Vanners a chance to impact lives 126,000 times in one year alone, assuming that the horses need two weeks off during the year for sickness, holidays, etc. We’re not even taking into consideration the impact that therapy has on the families, friends and loved ones of that person working with the horse,” President and CEO Dr. Eric W. Barton said. “Imagine how many lives can be touched over 20-plus years with these 45 horses alone. The impact would reach 2.5 million lives.”

Lindie and Eric Barton spend quality father-daughter time together on the ranch.

These horses have touched the lives of many. I am always touched to hear about how these horses have made an impact in so many people’s lives. Little Lyric, a Gypsy Vanner donated in 2015, has helped several in grief counseling who had lost their young child.

“Lyric took on the ‘role’ of one of the children and actual laid down in the grass with one of the Moms. As everyone cried this Mom said she felt touched by the spirit of the lost child,” Carol Young of Healing Strides in Virginia said. “This had mirrored another Mom and another horse the previous week. Both very extreme responses for a horse to have in the presence of people, let alone two weeks in a row with two different people.”

LexLin Gypsy Ranch, hailed as the largest independent Gypsy Vanner operation in North America, is a family business donating 45 horses over a three-year period. The Honoring Our Heroes Event and LexLin’s Gypsy Gift Program were both two huge programs that helped them achieve their goal. These horses impact the lives of the developmentally disabled, sick, injured, troubled and developing lives on a daily basis through these programs.

“At LexLin Gypsy Ranch, we are so blessed to be able to donate these high-quality horses, many imported or first generation imports, to such deserving therapy centers and individuals who truly make a difference in countless lives,” Barton said. “LexLin is constantly looking for ways to give back to people all over the U.S.”

Strategy, a keen sense about business opportunities, and a desire to support his community clearly drive Eric Barton as he guides the continued growth of Vanquish Worldwide LLC.

“The military is a thread through many of the things we do,” the Owner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryville-based company says. The knowledge gained from his service as a Marine and a contractor for government agencies has provided a strong foundation for the now eight-year old company.

Today, even as Vanquish Worldwide continues to support government clients, it is also focused on diversifying its portfolio, a strategy that Barton said became important as federal government needs in Iraq and Afghanistan began to change.

Two acquisitions in 2013 underscore the evolution at Vanquish Worldwide. One – Front Range Training and Consulting – was a 10-year old entity at the time that delivered training to law enforcement officers and U.S. Department of Defense personnel. Its client base was complementary, but the acquisition of Front Range added a broadened mix of services.

Barton explained that very senior military officers have enlisted aides who manage their households, much as PHMs do for high net wealth individuals.

“We have an exclusive contract to provide this training for all U.S. Air Force aides,” Barton says. The training covers everything from day-to-day operations to more specialized topics like international etiquette, household security, and emergency management.

The course for military aides is two weeks, while the one for private employers is four weeks.

Drawing on Vanquish Worldwide’s logistical and transportation work for the military, Barton and his team have become an Independent Service Provider for FedEx Ground, rapidly growing that business.

Even as Barton focuses on growing the Vanquish Worldwide portfolio, he’s also heavily involved in community activities. Barton and the company are generous supporters of a number of local organizations as well as causes related to veterans. We are well aware of his support for the Tennessee Veterans Business Association and its annual business plan competition.

“I wake-up every morning being thankful and wanting to be a good person,” he says. “I want to be pleasing to God and my family and have a good time.”

We asked Barton for some advice he would offer other entrepreneurs.

“There’s something magical about having one-, three- and five-year goals,” he says, adding “Write it down, think about it, and envision doing it.”

Eric Barton of Vanquish Worldwide LLC clearly personifies the old adage of “plan your work and work your plan.”

In a little over two decades, the soft spoken resident of Friendsville has gone from being an enlisted 17-year old in the U.S. Marines to earning a Meritorious Commission to becoming an U. S. Army Chaplain and, most recently, being named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.

The last honor, bestowed at the annual “Pinnacle Awards” banquet in May, recognized the phenomenal growth that Barton and his team have spearheaded since the Illinois native founded Vanquish Worldwide in 2007.

“We have these goals that are very concrete,” Barton told us in relation to one of the 28 (and counting) companies that are part of his portfolio.

One could readily call it a meteoric rise for the business executive who says he initially planned to stay in the military until retirement. It is easy to understand why he might want to do so, having earned numerous college degrees (see previous article in this series), not to mention the commission and subsequent service as an Intelligence Officer.

“I learned a lot about leadership in the service,” Barton says. “I learned what is fair and balanced . . . how to treat people.”

Yet, he found himself working in 2005 as a Project Manager for EODT, a company now known as Sterling Global. Barton was stationed in the Middle East, coordinating logistics support. It was not his first work in the region, and it would not be his last.

A short time later, he joined with some friends to found Critical Mission Support Services, an entity later renamed Relyant. They bid on and won a contract to provide maintenance support in Iraq’s infamous Al Anbar Province, and Barton was off to the races.

“It was our first bid and, as luck would have it, we won,” he explained.

During those early years with Relyant, Barton spent much of his time in the Middle East. When he came back in 2009, the family settled in Friendsville, a place they had never previously lived.

“I got to know the region earlier,” Barton told us, explaining that the family traveled through the area when visiting his wife’s family in North Carolina or his in Southern Illinois. “East Tennessee was about halfway between the two.”

Barton started Vanquish Worldwide in 2007, but had not spent much time on it until he sold his interest in Relyant at the end of 2010.

“Vanquish became my primary focus in 2011,” he said. The results since then speak for themselves, ranging from strategic diversification to some significant contracts. Perhaps most notable is a $985 million IDIQ contract for which Vanquish Worldwide has already billed $65 million.

For those not familiar with the term, IDIQ stands for “indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity.” It is a government procurement process where the actual quantity and delivery requirements are set by specific task orders issued against the basic agreement.

NEXT: A look at some of the businesses that are part of the Vanquish Worldwide portfolio.

The Vanquish Worldwide family of companies numbered three a little over two years ago. Today, Eric Barton says the count stands at 28.

To say that the Maryville-based enterprise has grown exponentially since its founding in 2007 would be an understatement. We sat down recently with the company’s Founder, a former Marine turned entrepreneur, to learn more about the Vanquish Worldwide portfolio that touches everything from global logistics to professional household management training.

“My drive in life was to impress my mother,” Barton told us. The Owner, President and Chief Executive Officer grew-up in Centralia, a community in Southern Illinois, with a mother who was the youngest of seven siblings.

“She was very loving to me,” he says, adding, “That’s where my inspiration and confidence came from.” It was clear that her influence had not waned when we interviewed the business executive in his recently acquired second Vanquish Worldwide office building near Foothills Mall.

Barton says he paid cash for the building, one indication of the success that he is now enjoying. The story, however, begins a little more than two decades earlier.

At age 17, Barton felt a need to leave his hometown. He joined the U.S. Marines and served for 11 years, rising from the enlisted ranks to become a commissioned officer. Almost immediately after arriving at Camp Pendleton, Barton says that he started pursuing his college degree.

“Education has been a big part of what I am,” he says, recalling a former Warrant Officer who “got me interested in books, leadership and success.” It is a calling that has driven him for years and one that is now a part of his portfolio of enterprises.

Barton told us that one of his early goals as a Marine was to complete his college education, at least on the same schedule as his former high school classmates. In fact, the driven Marine took as many as 26 semester hours in those early years in the service to earn his B.S. in Electronics Management from Southern Illinois University. And, as the laser focused person that he is, Barton finished college ahead of his high school classmates.

Later, Barton earned three Master’s degrees – one each in Business Administration concentration in Information Technology, Public Administration concentration in Knowledge Management, and Divinity. Today, he is working on his doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership.

Along the way, Barton started a family and had three children. He did tours of duty in the Middle East and Africa, including serving two years under legendary Marine Four-Star General John Allen. During those years, Barton was honing his skills as an intelligence officer.

While attending the Army Chaplain School, the Bartons adopted two sons.

“Seven of us were living in a 900 sq. ft. apartment,” he said, explaining times were so tough that, in addition to serving as a Church Youth Director, the family also signed-up for Food Stamps.

Formal education, service as a Marine, and the inspiration he received from his mother provided the solid foundation that has allowed Barton to not only build a vibrant new business in Maryville, but also give back to the community in many ways.

Vanquish Worldwide, a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) dedicated to providing Government and commercial contractor services since 2007 has acquired Front Range Training and Consulting, LLC, a SDVOSB specialized in training and program support for Government and commercial clients.

January 07, 2014 08:17 AM Eastern Standard Time

MARYVILLE, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vanquish Worldwide is pleased to announce their recent acquisition of Front Range Training and Consulting LLC (FRTC). FRTC is a Colorado-based Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that was founded by Kevin Cooper, a retired U.S. Marine with considerable experience in the Force Reconnaissance and Diplomatic Security/Marine Security Guard (MSG) community. FRTC has been in business since October 2003, and has quickly and effectively demonstrated that it is a leader in the training industry. An example of FRTC’s dedication to supporting the security of this country is through the development and delivery of Programs of Instruction (POI) for the Department of State’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program.

Ongoing training initiatives include Unexploded Ordnance Technician 1 Certification, Tactical Life Saver Training, Law Enforcement Explosive Entry Technician (EET) Training, Advanced Armorer’s Training, and several Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) and Tactical Team Leader Development courses being delivered to numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement officers throughout the country. FRTC’s S.W.A.T. school has been used to stand up entire teams in New Mexico, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and is considered the preferred sustainment training vehicle for agencies in those and other states.

Additionally FRTC was selected as a sole source to Securitas USA, one of the world’s largest security providers, as the recipient of a long term contract providing high end weapons and tactical training to operators providing security to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) critical assets throughout the nation.

Cindy Cooper has assumed the position of Corporate Manager of Training and Educational Services for Vanquish Worldwide. Cindy has been the Vice President of Operations for FRTC for 10 years and has been instrumental in the growth of the company. She has been the Instructional System Design Team Lead which has produced thousands of hours of FRTC programs and coursework.

“I have been very impressed with Vanquish and quickly understood how Front Range would complement and support their customer strategy and direction. In today’s market, the opportunity to bring our teams together creates a tremendous advantage for both organizations,” Kevin Cooper, Vice President of Operations for Vanquish Worldwide, “I am confident that our customers will benefit from services offered by the expanded Vanquish Team.”

Both companies have a long history of growth and profitability, share similar philosophies, and a strong vision for future growth and diversity.

About Vanquish Worldwide

Vanquish offers significant experience working for the US Government and commercial sector from coast to coast in the US, in combat theaters, developing nations and austere environments. Vanquish is headquartered just outside of Greater Knoxville, TN, with offices in Seattle, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina; as well as international offices in Afghanistan, Uganda, and Iraq. www.govanquish.com. Training programs and courses offered by FRTC can be found at www.frontrangetraining.com.

In our lives we come across HEROES everyday. Sometimes we unfortunately overlook them! Five incredibly dedicated firefighters need your help for a chance to win a Gypsy Horse named Swade! LexLin Gives Back – The 2nd Annual Honoring Our Heroes contest to Win a Gypsy Vanner is in full swing and these five honored Firefighters would love your help! Please watch the Honoring Our Heroes video, share it with your friends and vote (“Like” their image/essay) for the most deserving on LexLin’s facebook page .